Political causes of terrorism

Nationalism - the desire for a separate state

If people try to gain independence but fail, they might turn to terrorism because they feel as if they are not being listened to

There were 521 terrorist attacks in Pakistan in 2024 and 567 in 2025, and many of these took place in Balochistan

Extremism - trying to right a political wrong or unfairness

If lawful attempts have failed, people may turn to terrorism to get what they want

23 people were killed by an attack targeting Hispanic shoppers in El Paso in 2019

Dictatorship - lack of human rights under a dictatorship

The rise of ISIS in Syria was fuelled by years of authoritarian rule under Bashar al-Assad. This instability created the conditions for extremist groups like ISIS to gain support and power

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